Of Mornings and Evenings
by AnnaOtaku
Summary: The morning brought them together, formed their friendship and kept them smiling. The evening held them that way, melting their hearts into one and changing their lives forever. KBOW.
1. Prologue

_The morning brings the sun,_

_The birds and bees, aflutter_

_And with it, also, love of life_

_Which leads us to each other_

_The evening brings the moon,_

_A light within the dark_

_And stars above that clear our minds_

_As we open up our hearts._


	2. The First of Many Mornings

_**So, I know I shouldn't be starting another**_** series of oneshots…but…well…I couldn't help it! Plot bunnies are vicious, vicious creatures who eat my brain when I don't write! Believe me!!!**

Katie walked into the Great Hall nervously. It was her first morning at Hogwarts, and she couldn't find any of her new roommates anywhere. Leanne, her only friend for the time being, was still in their room, writing extensive letters to every member of her family, and couldn't be bothered to eat breakfast. Katie, on the other hand, was absolutely starving.

The Gryffindor table was long and menacingly full, every bench taken up by clusters of older kids, talking and laughing. Other kids might be deterred by this, but Katie was a Gryffindor(something she still didn't quite understand, being a muggle-born and all), and she knew that she would rather sit with a bunch of strangers than starve.

She walked down the length of the table, until she found an empty spot. She sat down, across from a lone boy, maybe thirteen or fourteen in age, who had his nose too far in a book to notice the first year in front of him. Katie ignored him, piling some sausage and eggs onto her plate.

As she shoved the food into her mouth, her eyes landed on the cover of the older boy's book. _Quidditch Through The Ages._

After a moment's deliberation, she spoke. "What's Quidditch?"

The boy lowered the book slowly, the look on his face identical to the one her mother had worn when Katie had accidentally used her magic to turn the family cat blue. His eyes bugged maniacally, and Katie started to wonder if she had greatly insulted him in some way.

"You…you don't know…_how_ do you not know about _Quidditch_?!" He asked, stuttering. Katie shrugged.

"Well, considering I've known about magic for, I don't know, a month, I don't see why I should." She tore off a piece of toast with her teeth, chewing on it as she waiting patiently for an answer. He nodded slowly, understanding her logic, then grinned.

"It's the greatest sport ever invented!" Katie snorted into her eggs, earning a glare from the boy.

"I believe you're mistaken. Football is obviously the greatest sport ever invented." Katie hoisted up her book bag for the boy to see. It was green, covered with black and white footballs. The boy tilted his head, confused.

"Football? Is that some sort of disease?" He asked, sipping on his goblet of orange juice. She sighed.

"No, you prat, it's a muggle sport. A bloody awesome one at that."

The boy shrugged. "Well, nothing compares to Quidditch."

She smirked. "Oh, really? What's so great about this Quit-itch thing?"

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I could go into the details, but since you're a first year, and a muggle born, I'll keep it simple. It's played on broomsticks."

Katie blinked. "Like, _flying_ broomsticks?"

Oliver shrugged. "What else are they used for? Oh, right, muggles use them…" He trailed off, shrugging again., and opened up his book.

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean you play this Quidditch thing on broomsticks. In the _air_. While _flying_. Tell me more!" She leaned across the table, her breakfast forgotten.

The boy looked up again, surprised at her reaction. He smiled, setting the book down, his breakfast, too, forgotten.

"Well, you fly around on the brooms and there's seven members in a team: Three chasers, who try to shoot the Quaffle through the hoops at the end of the pitch; two beaters, who use bats to hit Bludgers at the opposing team members; the keeper, who protects the rings from the other team's chasers -- I'm this year's keeper for the Gryffindor team," he added proudly, sticking out his chest a little. "And the seeker, who chasers the golden Snitch. When one of the seekers catches the snitch, the game is over, and that player's team wins 150 points. You get all of that?"

Katie was staring at him, a look of pure excitement on her face. The boy smiled, glad someone appreciated the game as much as he did.

"Here," he said, handing her his book. "Read this. It'll explain everything to you."

She took the little green book excitedly, flipping through the pages like a madman. She paused, then asked, "Will you teach me how to fly a broom?"

The older boy looked taken aback, blinking a couple of times. "You have a class for that."

She frowned. "But when will it be? It's not on my schedule, and I want to learn _immediately_!"

The boy grinned, deciding that this girl was quite alright, despite her status as a pesky first year. "What'd you say your name was?"

"Katie. Katie Bell." She stuck out her hand, giving him a pointed look.

He shook it, noticing how small her hand was compared to his. "Oliver Wood. And sure, I'll teach you to fly. Meet me outside of the common room tonight after dinner."

A smile broke out on her face, and she scrambled over the top of the table so she was seated next to Oliver. She gave him a big hug for such a small first year, practically shouting, "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU-"

Oliver looked at her, stunned, then allowed himself to chuckle. This little girl was absolutely mad. And it was sort of cute.

The bell rang throughout the Great Hall, alerting the students of class. Oliver stood up, reaching over the table to grab Katie's football-decorated backpack. He handed it to her, grinning.

She took it as they walked out of the Great Hall, putting it on proudly. "Thanks, Ollie! Got to go, can't be late to Charms, can I?!" She ran off, short hair bouncing with each step.

Oliver stood, shocked, for a second. No one had ever given him a nickname before. He didn't have many friends; the ones he did have told him he scared people away with his "obsessive(to the point of insanity) love of Quidditch and frank(to the point of rude) opinions". But now this strange, mental little first year was calling him Ollie and asking him for flying lessons.

He decided this girl was either a miracle, or just completely bonkers.

He also decided that he didn't really care which it was at this point.

"Kates!" He shouted, and the girl spun around, smiling wildly. "Charms is in the other direction!"

She nodded, then ran off again, mousy hair flying behind her, grinning. No one had ever called her Kates before. Her mum called her Katie-kat and her dad called her Katherine. Her close friends from her muggle school called her Kit or Kitty, or even Kate. Here, people just called her Katie, except for Professor Dumbledore, who had come to her house to explain Hogwarts and wouldn't call her anything but Katherine(which gave the man a very fatherly vibe for Katie). But Kates was different. Kates was…boyishly cute, something only a teenage male could come up with.

She liked it. And, she decided, she liked Ollie. He was, after all, going to teach her how to fly. And if that didn't make him the coolest person on the face of the earth, Katie Bell wasn't sure what would.

**So…how was it? Please tell me? I'm postponing physics homework for this! Please, please review!!**


	3. Of Piggyback Rides and Brooms

Oliver stood outside the portrait hole, broomstick in hand. A steady stream of students was flowing in and out of the common room, most seeming unsurprised that Oliver Wood had a broom in his hand. The question that everybody had, though, was _who_ was he waiting for?

Oliver was known to be a bit of a loner. He had a few good friends, and got along with his teammates well, but other than that, he didn't socialize much. Why waste time making useless small-talk with strangers when you could be concentrating on Quidditch?

As he was waiting for Katie to arrive, Angelina Johnson passed by, the infamous Weasley twins in tow. She stopped when she saw Oliver and smiled, walking over to where he waited.

Though she was two years younger than him, Oliver considered Angelina one of his few "friends." He wasn't sure how they had been introduced, but their passionate love of Quidditch sparked a friendship that had lasted throughout her entire first year. It was strange to think of her as younger, though, as she was much more mature, physically and mentally, than the others in her year.

"Wood! Good to see you! How was your summer?" The twins behind her were paying no attention to the conversation in front of them, whispering in hushed tones behind Johnson's back. The devious looks on their faces were making Oliver a tad bit uncomfortable.

"It was good. Played lots of Quidditch. How was yours?" Angelina rolled her eyes.

"Well, it was good. Played a lot of Quidditch as well. Spent a couple of weeks at The Burrow," she motioned to the twins. "Their house, I mean. I learned that waking up and finding a soaking-wet Ginny Weasley is not the best way to start a morning. She may only be nine, but that girl is scary when she's mad."

Oliver grimaced. The Weasley family was rather unusual, each child with their own, vibrant personality. Bill Weasley, who had graduated the previous year, was the golden boy of Gryffindor. Charlie, who was a seventh year, was the best seeker Oliver had ever seen, and treated the younger boy like a brother. Percy, pompous and uptight as he was, was one of Oliver's good friends and roommate, something no one else could really understand. Fred and George, Angelina's age, were well known around school as pranksters and class-clowns. From talking with Percy he knew that there was another Weasley brother, Ron, who would start school in a year, and seemed to be the quiet one in the family.

He shuddered to imagine being the only girl among all of that.

Fred and George snickered at the memory, high-fiving each other for their moment of glory. Angelina sighed.

"So, who are you waiting for, Oliver?" Fred -- or maybe it was George -- asked.

"Um, I'm teaching this girl how to fly-"

"A girl?!" The twins pushed past Angelina, who seemed just as excited as they were at the prospect of Oliver Wood spending alone time with a girl.

"What year is she in?"

"Is she hot?"

"What's her name?"

"Yeah, who is it?"

They stared at him in anticipation, waiting impatiently for him to answer their questions.

"Er, her name is Katie. She's a first year. And I feel uncomfortable even thinking about the 'is she hot' question."

The twins burst into laughter and Angelina "aww"-ed.

"You're teaching a first year how to fly? That's adorable!" Angelina said, hand over her heart. Fred and George just continued to laugh, causing Oliver to flush with embarassment.

"You going out for the team this year?" Oliver asked, changing the subject. All three of the younger students' eyes lit up.

"HELL YEAH!"

"OF COURSE!"

"DUH!"

Oliver stepped back, overwhelmed by their responses. It was obvious Angelina was obsessed with the game, but he never knew that the twins loved anything but causing trouble. Before he could respond, though, he was nearly knocked off his feet by something small ramming into his upper back.

"Ollie!" Katie shouted, wrapping her legs around his waist so that she was in the piggy-back position. "Onward!"

Oliver chuckled and bid the trio goodbye as he jogged down the hall, first year on back. They all had looks of pure shock and amazement on their faces at the sight of Oliver Wood being, well, _playful_. He was a serious player, a serious student, and an all-around serious person. But this little eleven-year-old possessed the ability to get Oliver Wood to _laugh_ and _joke around_. That was a kind of magic the students of Hogwarts thought no living person possessed.

Oliver gave Katie a ride all the way to the Quidditch pitch, listening to the girl chatter on excitedly about her first day of classes. He nearly dropped the short girl a couple of times because she kicked her legs in delight when she got to a good part in her story, but he managed to keep her from falling and kept a hold on his broom as well.

He let her down when they entered the stadium, letting her take it all in while he unlocked the broom shed. Madame Hooch had given him a spare key, knowing very well that he would use it responsibly -- unlike the rest of his teammates, in her opinion. Charlie, their captain, was a brilliant player, but was a forgetful person and lost things on a regular basis. Not only was Oliver in charge of the keys to the broom shed, but also Charlie's playbook, retrieving and putting away the balls, and scheduling practices. His level responsibility had grown so much since he started playing the year before that Charlie had named him "Miniature Captain."

"It's so…big!" Katie exclaimed as she twirled around in the grass, staring up at the tall hoops.

"Yeah, but not as big as the sky," Oliver said, tossing her an older broom from the shed. She caught it, barely, and stared at it in wonder.

"Okay, what do I do now?" She asked, biting her lip.

"You mount it. Here, like this-" He swung his leg over the broom, planting both feet firmly on the ground. Katie copied his every move, eyes wide with anticipation.

"Now, when I say 'three', kick off the ground as hard as you can. One…two…three!" The younger girl took off from the ground, soaring into the sky. A second later, she was back on the ground, stumbling over on landing.

Oliver nodded. "Okay, good. Now, try that again, and direct the broom. Pulling up slightly makes it go higher, pushing down goes lower. Leaning forwards makes you go faster, pulling back slows you down. Once you get those down, the broom almost reacts to your thoughts, not your commands."

The girl nodded, then pushed off again. This time she stayed in flight, hovering five or six feet above the ground. Oliver joined her in the air, smiling with approval.

"Good job, Kates. Now, try going forward. Just lean in a bi- good job!" He exclaimed as she sped past him.

They spent the next half hour practicing speeding up and slowing down, making turns and properly landing. Oliver could soon see that Katie was born to fly. The way the broom responded to her slightest touch, the way she naturally moved with its motions, the way she _laughed_ when she nearly fell off -- she was a natural Quidditch player.

Of course, in the typical ironic fashion of life, just as Oliver wondered which position she would be best at, a scream woke him from his thoughts. Katie, who had been speeding up and down the field, was flying straight towards one of the hoops, unable to stop. Oliver watched in horror as the first year jumped from her broom just as it slammed into the pole, falling on her feet with a sickening snap.

As fast as his Cleansweep would allow him, Oliver sped over to the girl, dismounting before he even touched the ground.

"Kates! Katie! Are you alright?!" He grabbed her shoulder, panic enveloping him. He had obtained his own fair share of nasty injuries from Quidditch, but it was so much worse when you watched it happen to someone much smaller than yourself.

"M'fine. Ow, ow, ow, ow…" She sat up, grabbing her ankle. It was already starting to swell.

"Come on, Kates. Let me get you to the hospital wing." Leaving the brooms forgotten on the field, Oliver pulled the girl onto his back, carrying her in the same fashion he had earlier. They were silent for a moment, hiking up the hill to the castle, before Katie spoke.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" She shouted, flailing her good leg around. "As soon as I get all fixed up, can we do it again?"

Oliver smiled. "Of course. But I'll have to keep a better eye on you. And we'll definitely have to run some stopping drills. Very sloppy, Kates. Very sloppy."

She laughed, tightening her grip around his neck. She smelled like peanut butter and sweat, and Oliver vaguely wondered if this was what is was like to have a little sister. He was only child, and often wondered what it would be like to be a brother. If this girl was anything like the real deal, then he decided it was quite alright.

The sun was setting as they entered the castle, and Katie, obviously crashing from all the energy she had used up today being, well, _Katie,_ nestled her head into the crook of Oliver's neck, sighing in contentment.

_She has to be the strangest person I've ever met_, Oliver thought as he walked into the Hospital Wing.

"Mr. Wood! How could you have _possibly _injured yourself the first day back? I told you to _try_ and keep yourself from harm!" Madame Pompfrey scolded him as soon as he walked in, scowling in frustration.

"It's not me, Ma'am. Katie here fell off her broom and hurt her ankle." Pomfrey's eyes softened at the sight of the first year, and started scolding Oliver for letting her fly as the older woman cast some spells on the girl's foot.

"Now rest that up, Ms. Bell, and no more falling from brooms, you got that? You take care of her, Wood. I'm holding you to that."

Oliver nodded, thanking the witch as he and Katie left. They walked to the common room in silence, Katie finally running out of things to say. He ruffled her hair as the Fat Lady came into sight, and she looked up, cocking her head questioningly.

"Good job out there, Kates. You've got the makings of a real Quidditch player." She beamed, eyes lighting up again.

"Really?" She asked as they climbed through the portrait hole together.

"Yeah, really. Next time we go flying we'll see what position you'd be good at. I'm thinking chaser, or maybe seeker."

She slammed into his chest, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Ollie! This was so awesome! I can't believe I actually flew a broom today!" She danced away, arms flailing. As she reached the bottom of the girls' staircase, she turned back, shouting, "See you tomorrow, Ollie!"

"Night, Kates!" He shouted back, then went to sit next to Percy. The ginger looked at him in confusion, as if to ask, _Why were you hanging out with a first year? _

Oliver shrugged, leaning back against the couch cushions. His affections for the small girl were odd to him, but there was something about her that he liked. Maybe her spunk, or her new passion for flying, or even her obvious lack of mental stability. Whatever it was, Madame Pomfrey's words kept coming back to him.

"_You take care of her, Wood. I'm holding you to that."_

"I will," he muttered to himself, so quiet that even Percy couldn't hear. "I will."

**Review please! I tried my hardest to make Oliver not seem pedo in any way, so sorry if his brotherly affections seem like more. Cuz right now, it's STRICTLY platonic. I swear. Oliver Wood is not a fan of kiddy porn. Honestly, he's not.**

**Well that had to be the strangest thing I've ever said.**

**No, I take that back.**

**I once wrote "Iago hearts animal porn" all over my friend's copy of **_**Othello**_**. **

**That was the strangest thing I've ever said.**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Please review.**

**=)**


	4. Early Morning Practice

**HOLY EFFING CRAP I'M ADDICTED TO THIS STORY. Seriously, though, it's not good for my grades(or social life). I **_**should**_** be updating my other stories but NO! I have a life-threatening addiction to KBOW! SOMEONE CALL AN INTERVENTION. I NEED HELP!!!**

**Also, if you need a good song, I'm listening to Lullaby 12:59 by Bedouin Soundclash right now. It really has nothing to do with this chapter, but the melody is the right mood for the light-heartedness I'm trying to portray. **

**Anyways, enjoy the next chapter!**

Oliver was ecstatic. Not only did he have an amazing, brilliant, outstanding, wonderful, all-around awesome seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but the rest of the lot wasn't half-bad either.

He scolded himself for that thought. The other players were absolutely superb. Fred, George, and Angelina had all played with him the previous year, when Charlie had been captain, and they had been the best team Oliver could have hoped for -- until he saw this year's team. The two chaser's that had graduated with Charlie had been decent, good enough to let Angelina take the lead. But this year -- well, Angelina had better be ready to fight for her title of "team-Quaffle-hog".

Alicia Spinnett, a pixie-like blonde from Angelina's year, had shyly walked onto the pitch after some prodding from the Weasley twins. Within two minutes of playing time Oliver announced her the second Gryffindor chaser. She flew through the air gently, like a butterfly, but when she was in shooting range she attacked like vulture. After failing to block four out of her five shots, Oliver had stared at the small girl in amazement. She just smiled brightly in response, landing next to George( or was it Fred?) and gave him a high-five.

Katie Bell, on the other hand, had been ten minutes late to try-outs. Had she been some random second-year, Oliver would have kicked her off the field. But Katie had a power over Oliver Wood that no one understood, and was therefore allowed to demonstrate her chaser skills.

Though not as good as Angelina or Alicia(who had both grown up the chance to have played Quidditch since they could walk), Katie blew the other competition out of the water, something Oliver had an immense amount of pride about. The fact that _he_ had taught this girl how to fly, that _he _introduced her to Quidditch, that _he _had decided she would make an awesome chaser made him stick out his chest a little as she scored.

Now, even though this group of players was the best Oliver(and, in his opinion, the school) had every seen, he still insisted on practicing as if important games could pop out of closets at any moment. Which is why he was outside the second year girls' dorm room, preparing to face the wrath of five-in-the-morning Kates.

Slowly, he pushed the door open, peering in. Four beds were scattered around the room, and the faint smell of perfume and beauty potions lingered in the air. Oliver desperately hoped those "teenage" items didn't belong to Katie -- he couldn't stand the thought of his little Kates growing up so fast.

He tiptoed across the room, unsure which bed was his chaser's. The curtains were drawn tight around the windows, letting no light seep in to illuminate his path. After closely examining the first three beds, he found Katie to be in the fourth. He walked around to the other side, so he could gently shake her awake without disturbing her dorm mates.

Just as he moved to kneel by her shoulder, something hard collided with his knee, sending him sprawling across the twelve-year-old's bed. He held in a shout as best he could, but he still made a strangled crying-sound of sorts, quickly muffled by his face meeting Katie's bed sheets.

"What the-?" He heard a sleep-thickened voice ask quietly. Before he could respond, he felt the mattress move as the girl threw her bedding off her body and scrambled over to see if he was okay. "Lumos," she whispered quietly, lighting up a small part of the dark room. "Ollie?"

"Mmghf," was all he could reply, face still smashed into the red comforter. A small hand pushed on his shoulder, flipping him onto his back.

"Ollie? What are you doing in here?" Katie leaned over him, a bemused grin on her face. Her dark blonde hair hung over his face, tickling his nose with its new "long" length. In actuality, in was only at her shoulders, but Katie swore she would she would become a gossip columnist for Witch Weekly before letting it grow any longer.

"Morning practice. Already woke the boys up. Came to wake you lot up." He sat up, rubbing his bruised shin. "Cripes, Kates. Who keep their trunk on the _side_ of their bed?"

She shrugged. "I like having it there. It keeps creepy boys from waking me up when they sneak into my room."

Oliver scowled at her. She smiled sweetly, patting the pillow next to her. As he sat next to her, he sighed, knowing fully-well that the boys had all fallen back asleep, and the other two girls would refuse to get out of bed when he tried them next.

Seeing his crest-fallen face, Katie back-tracked. "I mean- I, er- I was kidding, Ol. I don't think you're creepy."

He chuckled, ruffling her already messy hair. "It's not that," he whispered, amazed that none of her roommates had been woken up by his less-than-graceful attempt to have an early-morning practice. "I'm just…nervous, is all."

She frowned, bringing her knees to her chest. In the faint light of her wand, he could see her tiny legs were covered in bruises and scabs from her nasty habit of falling down a lot. "About what, Ollie?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Katie rested her cheek on her knees, staring at the older boy. Despite the age gap, Katie still thought of Oliver as one of her best friends, after Leanne and Cormac, of course.

"Well, being captain. I know I'm more organized and serious about winning than last year's captain, but I don't think I can live up to the famous Charlie Weasley. What if the others don't listen to me. As mini captain last year, I gave what I thought were inspirational pep talks, but the twins wouldn't stop laughing. I mean, of course, until Charlie made them run laps around the pitch. But still. What if I can't get the team to respect me like everyone respected Charlie?"

Katie smiled. "You'll be a great captain, Ollie. I know it."

He cast her a doubting look, a sad smile on his lips. "Sure."

She heaved a large sigh, turning to face him. Tucking her feet under the rest of her body, she leveled her eyes with his, a determined look on her face.

"Oliver Wood, you _are_ a great captain. And you want to know why? Because you don't ever, _ever_ give up. Remember when you were teaching me to fly? And I wanted to give up on learning to stop properly one night because I was so frustrated, but you kept telling me I could do it, until I finally did?"

Oliver nodded slowly, remembering that night. They had both gotten detention for breaking curfew, but even that couldn't wipe the satisfied grins off of their faces.

"And people _do_ respect you. I know for a fact that Fred and George think you're the greatest keeper they've ever seen. You've got a commanding presence around you, Ollie, and everyone knows that. You will make an _awesome_ captain. Believe me."

Oliver smiled, hugging the younger girl. "You know, you're very coherent at five in the morning, Kates."

She shrugged. "I'm a morning person."

Just then, the door swung open, revealing Angelina and Alicia. "Katie, hurry up, Oliver's going to be down at the pitch any minute and we can't be late for practice," Angelina whispered.

"Yeah, the boys are already down there warming up. Don't want the captain to hate us first thing into the season," Alicia added, a little louder. Damn, Katie's roommates could sleep through a lot.

"I'll be right there, girls," Katie whispered back, smiling. As soon as the door closed, she turned to Oliver. "See?"

He grinned, slapping gently on the back. "Thanks, Kates. Now, let's get down to practice. Can't keep the team waiting, can we?"

**I know, I know. Why would Katie **_**ever**_** be best friends with a jerk-face like Cormac. Well, people change, and I assume Cormac use to be a nice little kid who liked hanging out with tomboyish girls with before he became "popular". I know I have plenty of ex-friends like that who used to be my best friends. It happens.**

**BTW, I forgot to put in that Mcgonagall charmed the stairs so that Quidditch captains and prefects could access them(not canon, I know, bu I don't care.)**


	5. First Kisses and Dating Rules

Oliver Wood had seen plenty of strange things in his life. He was, after all, at a boarding school for underage wizards and witches, was he not? But still, nothing could compare to the sight before him now.

In the comfiest armchair – the dark red one that was seated so perfectly in front of the fire and had such fluffy, fuzzy cushions that students frequently dueled for it – sat three of his new team members, all dozing happily, homework forgotten on the coffee table in front of them.

Fred Weasley, who had most likely been there first, sat slumped against the back of the chair like he had flopped down after dinner and never got up. His head was resting on Katie's shoulder, both of his long, freckled arms snaked around her noticeably shorter one. She was seated quite comfortably on his lap, legs dangling over one arm of the chair. On her knees was Alicia Spinnett's head, the rest of the girl's petite body curled up in the miniscule space between Katie's hip and the arm of the chair. Katie's free arm was draped on top of the other girl's shoulder, her fingers intertwined with Alicia's.

"How could that _possibly_ be comfortable? Fred's elbow is practically impaling Katie's ribcage. And Alicia's spine is surely going to snap any moment." Angelina's came from his right, where she stood with George Weasley and Harry Potter.

"I know I wouldn't mind having two girls on my lap," George said, laughing.

"I think it's cute they learned how to share the best seat in the castle," Harry added quietly. Angelina and Oliver nodded in agreement.

"They kind of look like a family," George said after a moment of observation. The other three stared at him in confusion.

"I mean, look: Fred is the man –"

"You sure about that?" Angelina asked, sniggering. "I'm pretty sure Katie wears the pants in this family."

George rolled his eyes and continued. "So he's the dad. And Katie, look how she's holding both of them while still being held by them. Did that make sense? It did in my head. Anyways, she's like the mum. And Alicia is so tiny and innocent, she's like their kid."

Harry nodded. "I can see it."

Angelina laughed hysterically. "Alicia is _so_ Katie and Fred's child! Can't you see it? She's all hyperactive and troublesome and freckled, like Fred, and sweet and loud and blonde like Katie! It's perfect!"

"Do you think they'd make a good couple?" Harry asked unexpectedly. George shrugged, Angelina scoffed, and Oliver stayed quiet.

"No. That would just be chaos," Angelina said, crossing her arms. George just laughed.

"You only say that because you fancy my brother."

She gasped, eyes wide. "Do not!"

He chuckled, a smirk forming on his face. "Do too."

"Do not!"

"Do too."

"I don't!"

"You so do."

"Go to Hell, Weasley!"

"If I'm going down, you're going down with me, Johnson."

The two bickered on, Harry laughing and Oliver thinking. He really didn't like the idea of his little Kates dating anyone just yet. Fred was a whole year older, and already got Katie into enough trouble as it was. If they started doing things other than kidnapping Mrs. Norris, well…Fred was going to wish he had never been born.

Finally, Oliver spoke up. "Angelina's right. Katie is too similar to Fred. They're meant to be best friends, not lovers."

The others nodded and agreed, still staring at the mass with amused expressions on their faces. Finally, Harry broke away to sit with his other friends, waking the other three from their stupors.

"Well, I guess we'd better get them off to bed," Angelina said. "Wood, can you help me with Alicia?"

He nodded, scooping the tiny girl off of Katie's lap. Katie stirred, shifting slightly, a small smile forming on her face.

As he carried Alicia towards the girl's staircase, he saw George move Katie out of the way gently, before dragging his half-awake twin back to their room.

Oliver and Angelina climbed the stairs, talking in hushed whispers. "I'm so glad the Quidditch captains have the same rights as prefects. I can't imagine the look on Percy Weasley's face if I had asked him to help me carry Alicia to bed."

Oliver laughed softly at the idea. "She's pretty heavy for someone so tiny."

Angelina nodded, rolling her eyes. "Yes, I had to learn that the hard way. She _always_ falls asleep in the common room, she is nearly _impossible_ to wake up, _and_ she is incredibly heavy. Of course, I don't want my friend to have to sleep on the couch, but breaking my neck to get her upstairs just isn't worth it."

They reached the landing, and Oliver followed Angelina into their dorm room, wary of stray trunks after his morning fiasco in Katie's room. Unlike Katie's room, this one smelled like paint and toothpaste, a much friendlier environment in Oliver's opinion. Why couldn't Katie be in Angelina and Alicia's year?

Angelina led him to Alicia's bed, the one on the far left, and Oliver noticed that they only had three people in their dorm. Surely they could fit Katie in. He would have to talk to McGonagall about that later.

"Set her right here, Oliver." Angelina pulled the covers back on Alicia's bed, and Oliver set her down gently. She smiled widely in her sleep, curling into her pillow happily.

"I guess I'll go get Katie now," he whispered, and Angelina nodded as she pulled the covers back over her friend.

Katie was awake when he found her in the armchair, knees pulled up to her chest as she watched the fire die, a dreamy expression on her face. She smiled as she saw Oliver come forward, giggling as he lifted her slightly so he could sit in the armchair with her.

"Hey there, sleepy head," he said quietly as she rested her head on his shoulder, yawning.

"Hey there, yourself. Where'd Fred and Leesh go?"

"To their rooms, where you should be too."

She shrugged. "Eh, this chair is comfier than my bed."

He nodded, saying nothing. The two sat in comfortable silence for a minute, before Oliver spoke up, "So since when have you and Alicia Spinnett been friends?"

She smiled. "Since we bonded over Captain Ollie's freakishly early morning practice. And she helped me with my Charms essay."

"Captain Ollie?"

Katie grinned. "I think it's cute."

Oliver shook his head, moving on to the real issue at hand, in his mind. "Now, Kates. I know you might hate me for this, but, you know I don't allow inter-team relationships."

She cocked her head in confusion. "You know I don't swing that way, Ol. I mean, Leesha's pretty, but still…"

Oliver's face burned a little as he backtracked furiously. "No, no, no! I meant, you and Fred."

There was an awkward moment of silence, then Katie burst out laughing, doubling over and convulsing like mad. She nearly fell out of the chair, but Oliver pulled her back up before she could hit the ground.

"You-you-oh Merlin! You think I _fancy_- Merlin's shiny, pink beard, I can't breathe! You think I fancy _Fred_?!"

Oliver just stared at her in confusion, waiting patiently for her to calm down. She took a couple gulps of air, drying her eyes with her palm.

"Ollie, Fred's just my friend."

He still looked quite baffled. "But you were sitting on his lap. You were _asleep_ in his lap."

"And Alicia was asleep in mine. And I'm basically sitting in yours right now." He felt his face turning pink, but Katie just ignored him.

"Well, anyways. I just don't approve of you dating." Oliver tried to keep his voice calm and commanding, but was failing quite miserably.

"Wait, you mean just me specifically? And just dating in general? Who are you, my father?" Katie smirked in a _what-the-bloody-freaking-hell-could-you-possibly-do-to-stop-me-from-dating _way.

"You're just a kid, Kates. And I think your roommates are a bad influence on you! When I came in to wake you up this morning, there was so much perfume in your room I nearly suffocated to death before your trunk could kill me!"

To his surprise, Katie just laughed. "Ollie, I'll be thirteen in a month. You're really only two years older than me, you know. Does that make you a kid as well? Should you be banned from dating too?"

Oliver scowled. "I just don't want you to get mixed up in the wrong things, Katie. That's all."

The girl's face softened, and she gave him a small smile. "You're genuinely worried about me? You pulled out the real first name and everything!"

"Of course I'm worried about you. You're growing up too fast." It was true. She really wasn't a little kid anymore. She had lost some of the roundness in her face, and her baby-fat was turning into – dare he think it? – curves. She wasn't the hyperactive first year he had met a year earlier (though, when provoked by the Weasley Twins, she could still terrorize the common room on a sugar buzz).

Katie gave a little, "Aww…" and snuggled up against Oliver's chest, hugging him tightly. He held her tightly and closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of Katie. _Peanut butter and sweat. Maybe she's not growing up _that_ quickly._

Five minutes passed as the two just relaxed in front of the fire, ignoring the homework they had neglected. Finally, Katie spoke, voice soft, but curious.

"Why don't you date, Oliver?"

The boy shrugged, eyes still closed. "Just never been interested."

She played with a loose thread on his shirt. "Have you ever even _kissed_ a girl, Ollie?"

He opened his eyes slowly, shaking his head. Katie raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously?"

Oliver shrugged again. "Like I said, I've just never been interested. Is it bad for a fifteen-year-old to have never been kissed?"

Katie shook her head, a confused look on her face. "No…" She started out slowly, as if trying to decipher what he had just said. "But it's just…weird."

Oliver sighed in exasperation. "Why, may I ask?"

Katie pointed to the broomstick outline on the older boy's t-shirt. "Because you're a Quidditch player. Girls love Quidditch players. I mean look at it: Cedric Diggory, Roger Davies, the twins, Marcus Flint(if I was into slimy gits like him), Harry(though the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing intimidates girls and he's just a first year), et cetera, et cetera. They're all chick-magnets. They've all got fan clubs. Why? Because they're Quidditch players!"

Oliver rolled his eyes, but Katie cut in before he could say anything.

"So I just can't see why a hunky Quidditch captain like yourself hasn't been attacked by a screaming fangirl's lips yet. It's just strange."

"It's not that- Did you just call me hunky?"

Katie laughed again. "I'm not _blind_, Oliver. You are a very handsome fellow."

He could feel his self-confidence and ego boost up at the same time as she said this, but couldn't help from blushing just a little.

Deciding to change the topic, Oliver blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "So, have you had _your_ first kiss, Ms. Bell?"

Katie flushed pink, staring at the ground, and muttered under her breath, "Yes."

Oliver grinned. "Hmm, and what could _possibly_ be embarrassing about that, Kates?"

She scowled at him, then giggled nervously. "Well, it wasn't very romantic."

Oliver leaned back, smirking. "Do tell."

"Well…oh, alright, I was in a stupid school play back at my muggle school, and I had to kiss Jimmy Beaver. His breath smelled funny. And he had weird-looking ears."

Oliver roared with laughter, nearly knocking Katie off the chair again. She scowled, crossing her arms.

"At least _I've_ been kissed. Straight on the lips. What do you have? Oh, that's right, a great big heap of _nothing_!"

Oliver narrowed his eyes. "At least I've never kissed a kid named Jimmy Beaver."

Katie pursed her lips. "At least I've had my first kiss. Seriously, Ol. You've never even been kissed on the cheek or something?"

He sighed. "No, Kates. Nothing."

Suddenly, without warning, Katie pushed against Oliver's knees, propelling her forward. She planted a chaste kiss on his cheek, her small hand holding onto his shoulder to steady herself. Oliver's eyes widened in shock, mouth hanging open in shock.

She pulled back, sitting in her original position. "There. Now you've had your first kiss from a girl who wasn't your mum."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Great. Now I can tell people my first kiss happened when I was sexually harassed by a second year."

She smiled widely. "You're welcome."

He sighed, then grabbed the smaller girl's chin gently, pulling her head towards him. He planted a quick kiss on her forehead, muttering, "Payback," into her hair. She swatted at his face, sticking her tongue at him.

"See, now you've had your first kiss from a boy that wasn't for a stupid play," he said, laughter apparent in his voice.

"Thanks, Ollie," she muttered, the words dripping with sarcasm. He ruffled her hair, standing up.

"Now, hurry up and get to bed. We have an evening practice tomorrow and I need my favorite chaser to have plenty of energy! Hop to, hop to!" He pulled her up from the chair, pushing her towards the stairs.

"Aye, aye, mon capitan!" She shouted, saluting him.

"Night, Kates," he called as she ran up the stairs.

"Nighty-night, Cap'n Ollie!" Her voice carried down from the top of the stairs, followed by her laughter. Oliver smiled, then headed to his own dorm. Sure, she was growing up fast, but he felt that maybe, just maybe, he could handle it.

**Oh, and if anyone was wondering how the hell I came up with the name Jimmy Beaver, that's what my dad calls Justin Bieber. Personally, I think it suits him much better =)**


End file.
